Author: James Wambua

AIM Investment Awards & AI World Championship now set for March 7, 2025. Future Cities Awards & Global Manufacturing Awards to go on March 9, 2025. Future Finance Awards will be held on March 14, 2025 while Startup Pitch Competition are set for March 20, 2025. The AIM Congress has officially extended the application deadline for its 2025 Congress Awards, attributable to increasing responses from potential applicants across various categories globally. The decision underscores the growing prestige of the awards and the increasing number of cutting edge entries from individuals and organizations worldwide. In an update, AIM Congress said the…

Through various AfDB financing programmes across Africa, a total of 61M people have gained access to clean water since 2015. Another 33M people have benefited from improved sanitation while 46M Africans have gained access to ICT services, even as 25M people gained access to electricity. Next up for AfDB is the push to connect 300M Africans to electricity by 2030, and measure Africa’s vast green wealth as part of the continent’s GDP. The African Development Bank (AfDB) positively impacted over 515 million lives over the past 10 years, the lender’s President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has revealed. While addressing Heads of…

The AfDB projects real GDP growth to accelerate to 4.1 percent in 2025 and 4.4 percent in 2026. However, Africa’s growth remains below the 7 percent threshold required for substantial poverty reduction. The continent also continues to grapple with geopolitical tensions, structural weaknesses, climate-related disasters, and prolonged conflicts in regions such as the Sahel and the Horn of Africa. Africa’s economy is picking up, showing signs of improvement but remains vulnerable to persistent threats that could derail economic gains in the next 12 months. According to the 2025 Macroeconomic Performance and Outlook (MEO) by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the…

Looters have wiped out with an estimated 7,000 tonnes of critical humanitarian food supplies in Bukavu City. Bukavu, the second largest city in DRC fell to Rwanda-backed M23 rebels at the weekend just weeks after the militia took over Goma in the escalating conflict that worsened in January. According to aid organizations, the war in eastern DRC has caused a shortage of humanitarian routes and is now threatening the smooth delivery of essential services in the mineral-rich region. Food aid in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) took a devastating hit over the weekend, with 7,000 tonnes lost to looting,…

Afrobarometer survey shows that most countries have lost the gains they had recorded in poverty reduction between 2000 and 2015. An estimated 81% of the people report going without a cash income while 66% lack medicine or medical care. Data from 39 African countries surveyed in 2021/2023 suggests that increased corruption may play a role in resurgent lived poverty. A growing number of Africans are trapped in the crushing grip of poverty, with the latest Afribarometer survey revealing a sharp rise in populations struggling to afford food and other basic necessities. The survey indicates that severe deprivation has reached its highest…

WHO Chief faults Trump’s suspension of funding to PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, noting that it has caused immediate stop to HIV treatment, testing and prevention services in 50 countries. With the immediate halt of U.S. aid plan, ongoing prevention programmes for at-risk groups disrupted as clinics close, sending thousands of health workers home. For decades, economies across Sub-Saharan Africa have pivoted on USAID to drive critical health interventions and humanitarian relief. The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded the alarm over looming negative impact on several critical health initiatives in Africa including HIV, malaria, and Tuberculosis…

Suspension of USAID funding could severely affect the availability of antiretroviral drugs, HIV testing, and prevention programmes. Other essential programmes at risk are malaria prevention, maternal and child health, family planning, reproductive health, nutrition. Ghana is exploring alternative funding mechanisms and reallocate resources to prevent any disruption in these vital programmes. President Donald Trump’s recent move to dismantle USAID has left Ghana grappling with a funding shortfall of roughly $156 million for her healthcare and social programmes. With the funding gap, the country is likely to face a crisis in tackling a range of pressing healthcare challenges including fighting malaria,…

WHO has warned that the conflict could wipe out any gains made in recent months in the fight against mpox. Across Africa, the DRC has evolved as the epicenter of the ongoing mpox outbreak recording 516 cases in the last week, along with 38 deaths. The humanitarian situation in the DRC is affecting not only mpox (response efforts) but also a number of other outbreaks, says Africa CDC. As the M23 rebels advance on their onslaught across different areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the World Health Organization has warned that the conflict could wipe out any gains…

Denmark, the UK, Spain and France have announced their contributions to the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa. Another new donor–Japan–joined in December 2024 with a $5M contribution. Also joining the list of donors is SEFA, which is a multi-donor Special Fund that provides catalytic finance to unlock private sector investments. The race to light up millions of homes in Africa under Mission 300 initiative has received a shot in the arm after a number of countries including Denmark, the United Kingdom, Spain and France have announced their contributions to the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa. Another new donor–Japan–joined in December…

Rwanda and South Africa are at odds over the escalating conflict in the eastern DRC, with President Kagame accusing South Africa of distorting facts and threatening confrontation. South Africa defends its military presence as a peacekeeping effort, while Kagame claims SAMIDRC is a belligerent force aiding anti-Rwandan militias. The crisis risks further destabilizing the region, with diplomatic efforts needed to prevent escalation. Tensions between Rwanda and South Africa have escalated following a public spat between President Paul Kagame and President Cyril Ramaphosa over the ongoing conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Kagame accused South Africa of distorting…